Meniscal Surgery Oak Ridge TN

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Meniscal Surgery

A Patient's Guide to Meniscal Surgery

Introduction

The meniscus is very important to the long-term health of the knee. In the past, surgeons would simply take out part or all of an injured meniscus. But today's surgeons know that removing the meniscus can lead to early knee arthritis. Whenever possible, they try to repair the tear. If the damaged area must be removed, care is taken during surgery to protect the surrounding healthy tissue.

This guide will help you understand

what parts of the knee are treated during meniscal surgery

what operations are used to treat a damaged meniscus

what to expect before and after meniscal surgery

Anatomy

What parts of the knee are involved?

There is one meniscus on each side of the knee joint. The C-shaped medial meniscus is on the inside part of the knee, closest to your other knee. (Medial means closer to the middle of the body.) The U-shaped lateral meniscus is on the outer half of the knee joint. (Lateral means further out from the center of the body.)

The menisci (plural for meniscus) protect the articular cartilage on the surfaces of the thighbone (femur) and the shinbone (tibia). Articular cartilage is the smooth, slippery material that covers the ends of the bones that make up the knee joint. The articular cartilage allows the joint surfaces to slide against one another without damage to either surface.

Most of the meniscus is avascular, meaning no blood vessels go to it. Only its outer rim gets a small supply of blood. Doctors call this area the red zone. The ends of a few vessels in the red zone may actually travel inward to the middle section, the red-white zone. The inner portion of the meniscus, closest to the center of the knee, is called the white zone. It has no blood vessels at all. Although a tear in the outer rim has a good chance of healing, damage further in toward the center of the meniscus will not heal on its own.

Related Document: A Patient's Guide to Knee Anatomy

Related Document: A Patient's Guide to Meniscal Injuries

Rationale

What does my surgeon hope to accomplish?

The meniscus is a pad of cartilage that acts like a shock absorber to protect the knee. The meniscus is also vital for knee stability. When the meniscus is damaged or is surgically removed, the knee joint can become loose, or unstable. Without the protection and stability of a healthy meniscus, the surfaces of the knee can suffer wear and tear, leading to a condition called osteoarthritis.

Related Document: A Patient's Guide to Knee Osteoarthritis

Most tears of the meniscus do not heal on their own. A small tear in the outer rim (the red zone) has a good chance of healing. However, tears in the inner part of the meniscus often require surgery. When tears in this area are causing symptoms, they tend to get bigger. This puts the articular cartilage on the surfaces of the knee joint at risk of injury.

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